1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to thermal transfer recording ink and ink film, and is more specifically aiming at providing a thermal transfer ink ribbon capable of being used repeatedly to reduce the printing cost in a thermal transfer recording system, which is presently widely employed in personal word processors and the like.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Thermal transfer printers are widely utilized as printers of a popular type by virtue of their small sizes, light weights, and low prices. Particularly by virtue of their maintenance-free feature, these printers have a share of substantially 100% in the field of personal word processers and the like.
Thus, the thermal transfer printing system is endowed with a number of advantages for use in printers of a popular type. It is, however, anticipated that a high printing cost per sheet of paper will become the biggest hindrance to the further expansion of thermal transfer printers from this point on because the above-mentioned system necessitates expensive consumables. This high cost stems from various causes including inevitable production of a wide variety of cassettes in small quantities which results from the necessity of supplying various types of cassettes respectively adapted to various types of printers. The resulting relatively high price of cassettes when compared with that of ribbons. This price disparity is augmented by the difficulty encountered in automating a series of post-fabrication steps such as slitting, core winding, and cassette packing which resulting in high personel expense, as well as a high distribution cost.